Thomas County cat., 1887-01-20

hind and steered with his leg. They
started-the last slide they had-fu,n
the top. and were going faster than
they had ever gone before, when Phil
lis gave little scream and caught hold
of the sled tighter than ever. Jack
looked over her shoulder and saw log
sled, piled high with logs, crossing the
road. How fast they were going. and
how slow it crept along. The seconcs
seemed like years. They couldn't pos
sibly turn out. for it was in the very
middle of the grove. 1t didn't take
Jak long to make up his mind what to
do. With quick sweep of his leg he
turned the sled sideways. He couldn't
stop it, but he could make the end
where he sat hit the logs first. A Sec
ond later Phillis was living in little
frightened heap in the snow by the road
side unhurt, but Jack was stretched
out, white and senseless, under lis sled
by the side of the big runners Of the
log sled.
1.-The master picked him up and car
ried him to the school-house. Then he
sent for Jacks father. who was the
country doctor. After Jack opened his
eyes and knew any one he was carried
home, and he didn't leave it al winter
long. His back was injured. So they
said. The next springshe was able to
go to school again, but he couldn't play
with the other boys. His crutches We're
in the way, and no matter how much
he whispered the master never whipped
him. He never wanted to, either, for
most every one loved Jack. He used
to sit with little Phillis. and they learned
their lessons out of me. During recess
they would open me ut the map of Eu-
rope and mark out the trip they were
going to take when they grew up and
were married. They were going to
Paris where Jack was going to be
cured. Then they would live in Italy
Il year or so on the banks of beautiful
lake, and they would be so happy that
they would not care whether they had
any money or not"
"Wcll." observed Dickens, when the
Geography paused moment to breathe,
"did they marry?"
"No," returned the other, sadly.
1.-THE next year Jack died and was
buried in the little church-yard behind
the village church. Phillis' father
preached the sermon ut the funeral and
the whole school put flowers on the
grave. For awhile Phillis was incon-
solable, but s,;ch fret never lasts very
long, and before her school days were
over she was just as CHEEKY and much
more beautiful than ever before. l was
laid away years before she grew up
laid away very carcfully-for Phillis
never forgot the secrets that / shared
with her. But haven't seen her for
years. | don't know really what has
become of her. She brought me to this
house with herin the old chest. p?
At this moment the library door
opened and there entered the mistress
of the house, a slight, handsome
woman, with sweet face and silver
hair
II thought l heard noise on the
book Shelves" she said, ''but don't
see any thing there to make it now.
Perhaps it might have been mouse.
I'll look for it. Why!" she exclaimed,
as she seized the old geography and
drew it out of its place, g how did this
dear old book ever come down here? I
thought had lost it years ago"
Sitting down near the table she
opened the well-worn leaves. When
she came to the old-time map of Eu-
rope cr;ss-crosscd by pencil marks her
face softencd, and as she bent over
to kiss the soiled and disfigured con-
tinent two tear drops were mingled
with the blue waters of the sea.
Il think" whispered Dickens to
Matthew Arnold, as he nodded in the
direction of the old geography, -
think know. now, why the geogra-
ply was kept so long"
YES" softly echoed the relocated
line of Scott. Yes; we think You do"
Benjamin Northrop, Il, n. y. Graphic.